• From: Murphysboro Il
  • Registered: 2007-02-10
  • Posts: 292

Topic: An odd little question

Sorry that I post so much but I'm a music geek inbetween bands so i really don't have much els to do. anyway I have a rather odd question for my online mentors at chordie.

In one of my past bands Raksasha the singer and myself co wrote alot of songs.He couldn't play any instruments so anytime he would write a song he would sing it to me and I would find the right chords and we would take it from there. The problem is that he doesn't feel I should have any of the songwriting credit and shouldn't perform the songs. He cant really stop me I geuss but I want to do what is ethiclly right. What do you guys think? <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_confused.gif" border=0 alt="Confused">

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm
  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
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  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: An odd little question

Steve

if he wrote lyrics then he has a say in the lyrics but he cannot stop you singing them. As for the music side of it, it is you that takes the credit for the music, if he cannot write music or play an instrument then he has no say in the music side, so it is a song wrote by the two of you and the two of you can do what you like with it.

However, if you plan to make money through records/cd's wit hhis lyrics then he is entitled to a cut, IF he has them copywrited, if he has no patent on them and you go do this then he has not got a leg to stand on.


Tell him to grow up and shut up,

look at it this way, lol, as I have said in "bands and artists" paul weller the main song writer for the Jam is not joining the other two on tour but they will be playing songs he wrote the music for and the lyrics but mr weller will not make a penny from it unless they bring a cd out that paul had some influence in the music.


Ken


p.s.

dont worry about posting too much, just look at how many posts I have made, and james and roger ,lol. as long as it has something to do wit hmusic/chords/guitars etc then it is fine.

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: Cornwall Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-06-01
  • Posts: 243

Re: An odd little question

Sounds like you have a real winner there my friend. If this guy is that self-centred and full of himself, kiss him off with a big fat juicy one. He is the least of your worries, and will never be successful with that attitude anyway. Stay true to yourself and write some of your own or find another colabulator with a more congienial attitude. Basically, have fun with your talent, don't be inhibitted by someone elses lack there of.

              STEVE B(JV)

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: An odd little question

"Have fun with your talent" is an wonderful thought, Steve!  I agree that if you are going to be a creative person, then you should enjoy creating . . . and you should 'have fun' acquiring whatever skills are needed to create your music or art or literature or whatever.


A singer who 'writes songs' but plays no instruments and needs someone to help figure out the chords needs to grow up and learn a little music.  Trying to claim sole creative ownership of the songs is ridiculous - - This person is not having fun with their talent - they probably are living in sheer terror that they have a limited number of creative sparks inside of them, and that soon all their creativity will be gone forever.


If I wanted to be a painter, I would 'have fun' learning about different paints and brushes and methods of using those raw materials.


If I wanted to be a architect, I would 'have fun' learning all about different materials and structural forms and designs.


If I wanted to be novelist, I would 'have fun' learning how to write novels.


This person who claims to write songs, but has no understanding of music is not 'having fun' with their talent . . . if they were having fun, they would learn about music and they would be more focused on their present creative efforts rather than the past.


I feel pity for this person . . . I hope they can get their brain and their life in gear and start to 'have fun' with their talent.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: Murphysboro Il
  • Registered: 2007-02-10
  • Posts: 292

Re: An odd little question

Thanx for the advise from everyone. I called him up and told him he can have them. i'm writing better stuff now on my own.

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm
  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: An odd little question

Excellent decision - you are well-rid of this person.  Since he doesn't understand music anyway, there isn't much he can do with them.  There is a delicious irony in that!


Create your own material and revel in the fun and frustrations of the creative process.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: Cornwall Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-06-01
  • Posts: 243

Re: An odd little question

Good Man A.C.T.

" if you have a vision of yourself in a world that you can create, the people that won't participate no longer have an influence"

          Steve(J.V.)

  • Registered: 2007-01-07
  • Posts: 62

Re: An odd little question

i just read this and agree that ur well rid,but if anything became of that song then you have rights.the fact is he came up with the lyrics but he would have no chords/melody for the lyrics if it werent for you,and therefore his lyrics would still be sitting on the table.when i started writing songs i was desperate for someone else to play them as i couldnt,but was warned that if i did this then the person who found the chords and helped with the melody of the song would have 50 percent rights? now i have done all my own chords and just have someone acompany me on guitar.whos great mind.good luck with writing your own things without him.do you have a myspace?if so can i listen to your stuff?mine is under donna connis.